Civil or Architectural Engineering

Civil or architectural engineering for a choice is tricky one for students.

Students are mostly confused on the basic difference between these two inter-related engineering disciplines.

We take a closer look to understand first what is civil engineering and architectural engineering, and then the difference between the two, in terms of scope of study, subjecs involved, skills needed, work and career prospects.

Architectural Engineering degree includes – Designing the building systems by utilising the space and meeting the structural needs of the building.

scope of work involved

Civil

Design, supervision and construction of buildings/structures.

Calculating the cost involved, safety of the structure and potential environmental risks.

Architectural

Scope of work of an architectural engineers differs while working on a building, to that working in an industry, designing products.In construction, one would be involved in design of the structure and its foundation, while accommodating and planning the following in a structural design –

heating and cooling system

electrical, plumbing and fire protection

lighting and acoustics

building communication system

storm water drainage

emergency preparedness (earthquake, floods etc.,)

On the industrial front, the architectural engineer is involved in designing products for consumers, while retaining its aesthetic appeal to create uniqueness and market value for the product.

type of industry one works

Civil

Building and construction

Private consulting firms

Government departments

Research institutes etc.,

Architectural

Building and construction companies

Industrial and consumer products and machinery design team

Architectural research institutes etc.,

Government civil engineering departments

Consulting firms for design and construction etc.,

specific skills / attributes

Civil

Good logical and mental capability, problem solving skills and ability to grasp new concepts are very essential to be a good civil engineer.
Should be able to express yourself using figures and words.

Architectural

As an architectural engineering student, you should have a creative imagination coupled with good drawing and design skills.You should also possess good logical and mental capability with strong analytical skill and attention to detail.You should be able to grasp and adapt to new and changing concepts.

Since architectural engineering is a specialised field of civil engineering, students pursuing civil engineering in their bachelor’s degree can later opt for specialisation in architectural engineering in their Masters (M.Tech / M.E)

Students doing bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering can also opt for architectural engineering in their masters (M.Tech / M.E), which would place them in the product design team, esp. in consumer product industry.

All major institutes has an admission prerequisite for students to appear the online architecture entrance exam – NATA

If you are confused whether to take a degree programme or opt for a diploma, you may check here to know the basic difference between both.

career prospects – civil or architectural, which is best?

Civil

High – The country is developing fast and it needs infrastructures to sustain this development, which require qualified civil engineers to build them.

Architectural

High – With infrastructure and industrial development on the rise, so is the demand for it to be built aesthetically and systematically.Gone are the days when structures were meant to be just for providing shelter and products were meant to meet ends.Today every area of construction/designing – whether buildings/structures or a product, all are going for aesthetic look – a design that appeals to the people and stands out in competition.

specialisations available / related fields one can choose for higher studies

Civil

Check out Wikipedia for detailed info on Civil Engineering & specialisations/sub-disciplines under it – HERE

Architectural

Check out Wikipedia for detailed info on Architectural Engineering & specialisations/sub-disciplines under it – HERE